


Sunset Eyes

by TRCelyne



Series: Haven Loading Screen Stories [2]
Category: Haven (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Apiary days, Arguing, Canon Compliant, F/M, First Dates, First Kiss, First Meetings, Flirting, Fluff, Spoilers for the name of Yu's Mate, loading screen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-20 13:13:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30005403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TRCelyne/pseuds/TRCelyne
Summary: It soon became clear that they were tiptoeing around each other, drawing out this weird moment where everything was pleasantly blurry. She liked to believe that he was interested in her too. The lingering gazes, the gentle touches on her arms, the tender smiles… she hoped she was not making those up or overreacted to friendly gestures.--Based on loading screen pictures and bits of canon mentioned in their conversations
Relationships: Kay/Yu (Haven)
Series: Haven Loading Screen Stories [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2192427
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	Sunset Eyes

When she had first met Kay, Yu had not particularly paid attention to him. No love at first sight, no feeling of being struck by thunder, no dumbstruck face or bewitchment. Yes, she had noticed him and told herself that he was very handsome and seemed to be a really nice person, but it was only because her mother had mentioned his excellent work that she had remembered who he was. It had felt nice finally putting a face on a name she had already heard of. And given her mother’s perfectionism and rigor, it meant a lot when she praised someone.

But then, she started crossing paths with him more often. Or maybe she noticed that she had been crossing paths with him the entire time. ExaNova was a big company, after all. The first time in a corridor, where they nodded at each other politely. The second time happened when she was getting out of her mother’s office and Kay was waiting to get in, his arms full of reports from his research laboratory, and they exchanged a few cordial words. The third time took place near the research building, where Yu found a bench to eat her lunch alone. He joined her and they spent their break time chatting, leaving most of their meals untouched for they were too busy discovering each other. Both almost went back to work late.

They then made a habit of sharing lunch together at work. Same bench, same time, every day. Yu was always looking forward to their shared time. It made her eager to get up in the morning and go to work, eager to take care of her hair and body to look nice, even eager to clean her room and the Nest – who knew when she was going to invite him over to hang out – and this feeling, although brand new, was a great thing to experience.

Having a crush on someone sure felt nice.

The Apiary did not forbid relationships before the Matchmaking was done at the age of twenty five. She did not have much time left, but why would she not indulge while she still could? It was not like she had spent her teen years waiting obediently for her Mate to be selected. She had tried and experienced several things with several people over the last years, but nothing serious. However, she might have already been an adult for a while now, she still felt like a teenager at the thought of Kay’s smile and soft voice, butterflies tickling her stomach whenever his sunset eyes stared at hers.

One day, someone forestalled them and was already sitting on their bench when they arrived. Kay suggested spending their break at a tea shop he liked that was near the laboratory instead, and she accepted gladly. Sitting in front of a glass of appledew juice and a boba salad, Yu felt more daring. Maybe it was because something a bit out of the ordinary was happening, but she did not complain about it.

“Say.”

Kay finished his mouthful and put his fork down “Yes?”

“Would you like to hang out someday? Like, outside work?” She said, crossing her fingers under the table.

He blinked, his cheeks darkening a bit “Y-yes, sure. How about this weekend? There’s a botanical exposition I wanted to visit for a while, it’s about the rhizome plants endemic to Beau-“ He cut himself, averting his gaze while making a face “Ah, maybe that won’t be interesting for you.”

“Oh no no, it’s okay! That sounds like a good plan.” Yu said before getting a sip of her drink.

She was not interested in Beauty’s flora per se, but the way Kay’s eyes shone whenever he talked about biology was endearing. He even managed to pique her curiosity, whereas she had always disliked natural sciences when she was still attending school.

And that was an excellent excuse to get his Uphone ID.

\--

She could not muster the courage to text him first.

She was the one who had asked for his ID, and now the number was displayed on her screen, she could not bring herself to send him a message. She had typed six different ones, before erasing them all one by one. “Hey” was too uninterested, but “hi Kay, it’s Yu. I can’t wait to see you this weekend” was too eager. When had writing become so difficult?

Yu buried her groan into her fluffy pillow, the device slipping from her defeated hands. How was one supposed to flirt without making a fool of themselves? The Apiary had made the custom vanish when they had instituted the Matchmaker: who needed to flirt when their partner was already picked for them, after all? Why was it so –

The AstroBots’ latest single started playing, meaning she was getting a call. Her face still hidden in her pillow, she patted around until she found the device and answered without looking.

It took her half a second to recognise Kay’s hologram, facing her with a bright smile “Hi, Yu!”

The young woman screamed. Choked on her saliva, and fell from her bed in surprise. She started coughing loudly, desperately trying to get some air back into her lungs. Meanwhile, Kay called for her, having lost her from his restricted field of vision.

“Yu? Are you okay?”

“I’m…I’m fine.” She managed to wheeze between two coughs. What a great way to impress the guy for their first call!

And why had he even called her in the first place?! She was busy trying to figure out how to text him first! Since when did boys make the first move?!

…Oh.

Boys did not make the first move. But men did.

Yu blushed hard at the idea. This was not like before. She was not a teenager fooling around anymore. She was an adult with desires and experiences, and finding out what to tell him should not have been her concern at her age. She sat up properly, cleared her throat to get rid of the remnants of coughing, rearranged her hair and took a deep breath to regain her composure. Then, she sat back on the bed and took the Uphone in her hands to smile embarrassedly at the hologram.

“Hey Kay. Sorry for the commotion.”

He frowned, concerned “No worries. Uh, are you okay? Did I disturb you? I can call back later.”

She waved a hand “Nonono it’s fine! I just…” She raked through her mind for an excuse “I was waiting for a call from my mother, I did not expect it would be you.” She made herself comfortable against the wall “Anyway, why did you summon my hologram self?”

“I thought it would be easier to plan our da- OUTING! I mean outing!” He let out an unconvincing giggle “Anyway, when and where should we meet up?”

Yu smiled, feeling her cheeks getting warmer. At least his self-confidence was not skyrocketing, and neither did hers.

\--

Thankfully, the awkwardness was gone when they met up in front of the exposition hall that weekend. Yu had made an effort and put some make-up on and fancy-but-casual clothes and showed up fifteen minutes before the expected time.

Only to find out that Kay had been there for half an hour already. He had swapped his usual sweaters for a shirt with rolled up sleeves.

The said shirt made it difficult for her to focus on the exposition. She understood a word out of four of what he was telling her, but as she had expected, his eyes were sparkling with passion, a beaming smile stretching his lips, and he overall looked like an enthusiastic child in a candy shop. Between his face and his hands and his arms, Yu did not know where to look at and keeping her composure had never been so hard before.

But oh, was it worth it.

Once they were done with the exposition, Yu mentioned that she wanted to buy some books from a library nearby; Kay followed gladly, asking her about what she liked to read. He was not a big reader himself, and mostly kept to academic articles and non-fiction books.

While looking through the shelves, she found a beginner’s guide to biology and botany. She started skimming through it, checking if it could be her level or if it was too easy. She felt a presence behind her after a while.

Kay’s breath tickled her ear when he spoke, making her shiver “What have you found? Oh! That book is really nice! Is it a new edition? We had it at the foster home! That’s how I learnt about biology.”

Yu looked at him, smiling “Well, I thought that I might understand you better if I can learn about the things you are passionate about.”

He blushed “Oh, uh, really?” He scratched his neck embarrassedly, showing her the book he was holding “I… guess that we’re on the same page then.”

_Engineering and Spacecraft Mechanics for Borons_. Yu looked back at him, and burst into laughter.

\--

It soon became clear that they were tiptoeing around each other, drawing out this weird moment where everything was pleasantly blurry. She liked to believe that he was interested in her too. The lingering gazes, the gentle touches on her arms, the tender smiles… she hoped she was not making those up or overreacted to friendly gestures. Besides their first sort-of-awkward call, they now made a habit of texting each other _a lot_. She had even called him a few times, late at night, often after arguing with her mother. And although she had been worried about bothering him, that was how she had discovered that Kay was more of a night owl, and above all an excellent listener. He talked to her until she fell asleep, giggling at his lame jokes and work anecdotes, clarifying subjects he had read about in _Engineering and Spacecraft Mechanics for Borons,_ or simply watching his hologram scribbling notes on pages in silence.

The second time they met outside work was at Kay’s apartment. Yu woke up one morning with a text from him, asking her if she wanted to watch movies with him the following weekend. Her cheeks burned at the idea of a “Movix and lounge” proposal. It was not what he had meant, or maybe she didn’t know how to read between the lines, but her mind came up with… scenarios. She spent the night before having dreams about him she would never talk about unless she wanted to die of embarrassment. Or act on them.

If there was one thing her mothers had taught her that she abode by religiously, it was to never show up empty handed to someone’s home. Thus, she brought some snacks and sweets.

She had also, just in case, decided to wear her nicest lingerie ensemble. _Just in case_.

Kay’s apartment was so small it could have fit in her penthouse’s entrance hall twice. Well, maybe it was also because she lived in a penthouse and not a regular-sized building. It was clean and tidy, and full of plants as she had expected of him. It also had this cosy, cocoon-like vibe that she had hoped to achieve in the Nest as well.

That afternoon, they marathoned all six movies of The Galaxy Warfare while eating snacks and commenting on them. They agreed that the sequel that they had purposely left out was incredibly bad and that they’d rather pretend that it did not exist. They spent the whole time sitting next to each other under a blanket, their shoulders pressed together. It felt nice. Whenever she was with Kay, Yu felt relaxed and at ease. She had the feeling that she could be her true self with him.

Nothing happened that day. She did not know if she was disappointed, but if she was, it felt like a bonus she did not get in her quest of the day rather than a failure. She went home late at night light-hearted and with a bright smile on her lips.

\--

Arguing with her mother was not uncommon. They disagreed on a lot of things, but they always made up afterwards. Some times just needed more patience than others, that was all.

The Matchmaker sent her the official file of her Mate.

Yu did not want to open it. She just couldn’t find the strength to. She refused to see the face and name of the person she would have to give up Kay for. Her mother, annoyed by her “childish attitude”, snatched the tablet from her hands and opened it herself. Yu was about to leave the room and let her do, but the gasp and the way her mother’s eyes widened stopped her right in her tracks.

That face meant that her Mate was no stranger to her.

Deep, deep down, Yu prayed to all the deities whom she knew about that Kay’s face was displayed on the screen.

She walked up to her mother, who showed her the device.

Yu came to a stop, her heart sinking so low it had probably dropped on the floor.

Lord Ozias.

_Lord. Blooting. Ozias_.

“Oh my!” Erena said, looking at her with bright eyes “What a stroke of luck!”

Yu frowned “Are you kidding me? You call this luck?!”

Her mother set the tablet aside on the kitchen island and crossed her arms with a stern face “Yes. He’s one of the most influent members of the Council. You future is going to be bright with him by your side.”

“No way!” Yu gritted between her teeth, her fists clenched “Him? He’s the worst boron I’ve ever crossed paths with! This guy is full of himself and blooting insufferable!! And you want me to spend the rest of my life with him?”

“You’ll learn to see his good sides! Don’t be so fussy!!”

She pointed at her, stepping closer “Listen closely, Mom. I’m not some kind of trophy wife.”

“It’s not what this conversation is about, Yu.”

“Oh yes it is. This is all I’m ever going to be if I’m Matched to him. And I _refuse_ to stand there and look pretty and wait for him to come home in an empty penthouse because that’s what I _already blooting do_ everyday!”

Erena smacked her hand away “I forbid you to talk to me like this!”

“I will stop once you start thinking about _me_ and not what you would benefit from me! Because that’s what it is about, huh? Having Ozias as your son-in-law will be convenient for you!!”

The feeling of betrayal hurt more than the tingling sensation on her left cheek when her mother slapped her.

Without a word, Yu stormed out of the room and went straight to the garage, Erena on her heels screaming that they were not done yet. She caught up with her as she was about to enter the Nest, catching her by the arm.

“It’s about Kay, isn’t it?”

Yu saw red.

“It’s about _ME_!!!” She yelled, pulling her arm free from her grasp to point at herself with both hands.

“I know what’s happening between you.” Erena snarled.

“You don’t know anything.” Yu hissed “And don’t even try to drag him into this. Stop believing that my worth depends on the men who I do or don’t spend my time with. Kay or not, that doesn’t make Ozias less of an absolute asshole and I’d rather die than have him as my Mate.”

Upon these words, she walked inside the Nest and locked the door shut behind her. She started the engine and left, ignoring her mother’s calls for her to stop and come back. Piloting with her vision all blurry because of the tears in her eyes was not a good idea, but she had to leave. She didn’t want her mother to see her cry. She suddenly burst into sobs, choosing to put the Nest on autopilot for safety as she wiped her eyes and nose, then went to splash water on her face to calm down and chase the redness from it.

Once she felt the hormones kick in and her breath settle once and for good, she flew directly to Kay’s place. It wasn’t like she had anyone else to go to anyway. She connected her Uphone to the spaceship and called him. His hologram showed him slouching against a pillow, scrolling on his tablet.

“Hey.” He said with a smile, before frowning “Wow, you look terrible. Did something happen?”

“Uh, yeah.” Yu replied with a sniffle “Are you home? I need to go calm down somewhere and I don’t want to be alone.”

He set his tablet aside “Sure. Do you need anything?”

“Just grab something to eat, the fridge of the Nest is empty.”

“Okay. When will you be there?”

“About ten minutes max.”

“Okay! See you later then!”

He waved at her and hanged up. Yu felt relieved at the idea of seeing him soon.

She spent the rest of the flight pondering over the idea of telling him what had just happened. Lord Ozias was a name every one in the Apiary had heard at least once. Kay would probably run away if he she told him who she had been Matched to…

Somewhere, deep down, she felt that if there was a way to escape this, it involved Kay not knowing about Lord Ozias. Ever.

Yu arrived fifteen minutes later. Kay was already waiting on the parking lot in front of his building, with a bagpack and a bright smile on his lips.

“Hey there!” He chirped as he walked in.

Yu stood up from her seat and met him in the living room “Hi. I hope you were not busy…”

He tackled her into a hug without warning, squeezing her against him “I’m always available when it comes to you.”

First taken aback by the sudden display of affection, Yu quickly melted in the embrace and hugged him back, nuzzling against his clavicle. He smelled of soap. He was warm. When was the last time someone had hugged her?

They remained like this until she let him go “Thank you.”

He brushed the tip of his fingers against her cheek, setting her skin on fire and her heart racing “You’re welcome.” He moved his bag in front of him and opened it “I brought chocolate, sweets, and soda. And not-comfort food too.”

She smiled tenderly “You’re the best.”

He winked at her “I know.”

\--

They flew for about half an hour, until they found a spot up on hill, far from the city. They could still see its lights on the horizon, but there was only silence and nature and quietness around them, and that was what she needed the most. Once they landed, Yu went to take a shower while Kay prepared dinner. The sun was long gone by the time she came out and wrapped herself in a towel, doing the same to her hair. She had to strain her neck to support the weight of her wet hair, preventing her from tilting her head down. She dared a glance towards the kitchen when she walked to her wardrobe, and noticed Kay deeply absorbed in his work. She smiled and grabbed a clean strap top with cropped pyjama pants to put them on. Then, she walked to the kitchen with her hairbrush and sat on one of the chairs to watch him cook.

He made a face when he saw her turbaned hair “Wow. That must be heavy.”

She nodded solemnly “It is.” She removed the towel, letting her hair cascade down her back until it almost touched the floor “Want to weigh it?”

Ever so curious, Kay put down his ladle and grabbed the length of her wet hair, weighing it up with a pensive pout.

“It’s heavy indeed.” He concluded, before wrapping it around her neck like a scarf.

“Aaah nooo~!” She squeaked, trying to get rid of it “It’s all wet it’s super unpleasant aaah~!!”

Kay burst into laughter as he went back to the stove, letting her disentangling herself from her hair, which she started brushing in the meantime. She was halfway done with it when he finally asked what happened, still busy cooking. Yu pinched her lips, hesitating, her hands stilling around the strand of hair she was busy combing out for a second.

“…Mom and I argued again.” She eventually said, resuming her task.

He chuckled “That was the easy part to guess, I admit.” He turned around and leaned against the counter so he could keep an eye on the food while talking to her “What was it about? Something trivial, like last time?”

She bit her lower lip, looking down at her lap “I wish it was, but no. Not this time.”

Kay frowned. He set down his ladle and went to lean against the table instead, right next to her “Do you want to tell me? I won’t insist if you don’t want to. But I think you’ll feel better afterwards.”

“Can I have a hug?”

He smiled tenderly and opened his arms. Yu stood up and sought refuge against his chest, sighing in delight when his warmth surrounded her. She stayed like that for a minute or two, matching her breath to his.

“I got my Mate’s file today.” She said quietly after some time.

She felt him tense against her, but he did his best to relax “Oh.”

Noticing that he wasn’t going to ask about it unless she decided to tell him more, she went on “I’ve met him before…” She felt the tears coming back, which she tried to bury in the crook of his neck, but her voice still wavered “I don’t want to-…”

He gently rocked her, rubbing a hand up and down her back “Shh… it’s going to be okay.”

“It’s not.”

“It is.”

“Kay, it’s _not_.”

He grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him “Listen to me. You’ll figure it out. _We_ ’ll figure it out.” He was blushing hard, but that did not stop him from pressing on “I will help you, you’ll always have my support. And we’re going to find a way for you to escape this.”

He was close. He was so close that she saw the brown lines hidden in his sunset eyes, she saw how long and thick his eyelashes were, she saw how his pupils dilated when their eyes met. She never answered.

His gaze trailed down her face, until it settled on her lips. Kay closed his eyes and leaned in. Yu felt his breath graze her lips, his bangs tickle her forehead, his hand pull her closer.

The hissing of food boiling over burst their bubble in a very, _very_ painful way.

“Gloot!” Kay swore as he instantly let her go to reduce the heat of the stove and stir the food hurriedly.

Yu took advantage of the fact he had his back turned to slip out of the room, and went straight to the furthest place possible: the bathroom, next to the shower. She leaned against the wall with her hands on her face. She felt her cheeks burning and her heart hammer against her ribcage.

He was going to kiss her. _Kay was about. To. Kiss. Her._

What had she got herself into?

\--

Fortunately for her, they did not mention what had almost happened when they ate dinner. Noticing she looked uncomfortable, Kay had purposefully avoided the subject, or so she thought. Her mind was a complete mess.

Had this happened any other day, she would have turned the stove off just so she could resume where they had left off and kiss him senselessly. But today was not any other day. She had a violent argument with her mother and discovered that her Mate was the worst person she had ever met. Her emotions were a mess and the last thing she needed was to use Kay to drown them.

Instead, they talked about her latest readings and his recent discoveries at work. Somehow, the awkwardness eventually faded; probably because of the jokes and puns they made. She knew she could trust him to take her mind off her bad day, whatever was happening between them. After dinner, Kay suggested going outside to watch the night sky. Yu agreed, and they spread a blanket on the grass next to the Nest to lie down next to each other.

Although it was summertime, the night was still a bit chilly. Yu did not mind, but she realised that she had forgotten to dry her hair after she got out of the shower… but she was too lazy to go back in and do it. Never mind, then. Kay tried to show her some constellations, so she had no other choice than to snuggle against him to get a better angle.

Him being incredibly warm seemed to be a constant. It felt nice, especially since she was starting to freeze. Feeling her shivering, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He spoke about mythology and the origin stories of the constellations he had shown her, but Yu did not pay attention to what he was saying. Instead, she focused on his voice, low and calm, and how it vibrated in his thorax and against her face. She struggled to keep her eyes open…

“Let’s go.” She muttered. She was really cold.

The slow rise of his chest suddenly halted, as if he had stopped breathing. He did not answer. After a second or two, he resumed breathing again, leaving her a bit confused about his lack of response.

Yu snuggled closer to keep warm.

\--

Urgh. She really should have gone back and left him there.

Yu sneezed and grabbed a tissue on her bedside table. She blew her nose, unable to get her nostrils to work correctly, and threw the tissue in the bin on the other side of her room, by the desk. It missed. She grunted and buried herself under the covers in a desperate attempt to warm up.

What kind of idiot caught a cold in the middle of summer?

Only her, apparently.

At least she did not cross paths with her mother, who seemed to be too busy with work to come check up on her. It was better like that. They had not mentioned her Mate again, leaving the case unclosed, but it was probably better like that; both of them were stubborn and they would just run in circles endlessly.

Yu grunted and curled up in her nest of blankets. She hated being alone like this. She always ended up brooding over things she did not want to think about. She did not even have the energy to read a book to keep her mind distracted. This was only the first day, and she had six more days to go having to stay home.

Somewhere in the distance, she heard the home robot flying around and the sound of her door gliding open.

“ _Miss Yu_.” The automated voice said “ _There is a visitor at the entrance_.”

Yu moved the covers and leaned on her elbow to look at the flying blue and white machine.

“Tell them to come back, my mother is not home.” She replied.

“ _They mentioned they came to see you specifically_.”

She pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to chase her headache “Who is it?”

The robot displayed the hologram of the entrance. Kay was there, looking around nervously, obviously impressed by the building and the riches decorating it. She could not control the wide smile that stretched her lips.

“Let him in.” She said “Make him wait in the living room and serve him a glass of appledew juice. I’ll join him in a few minutes.”

The robot made some beeping sounds, registering the tasks, then replied “ _Understood_.”

The machine left and Yu let herself fall face first onto her pillow. He just _knew_ when she needed him most, didn’t he? She felt relieved at the idea of seeing him, but right now she was not in the best of states to be a nice host. She breathed in and out deeply, then got out of bed reluctantly. She grabbed a fluffy dressing gown and wrapped herself in it, adding a big scarf for good measure. She dragged her feet to the living room, squinting her eyes when she walked in, the light pouring out of the bay window – which was, to put it simply, a wall of glass – blinding her momentarily. Kay was sitting on one of the three large couches, trying to make himself as small as possible by sitting on the edge of his seat and keeping his glass of juice close to himself. He was looking outside. It was true that the sight from there was incredible, even if she had gotten used to it with time.

“Hey.” She said.

Kay looked at her and smiled “Hey. I was worried about you, so I decided to drop by after work.”

She walked closer and sat next to him “You did not have to, really. It’s just a cold.”

“Yeah but…” he put his glass on the coffee table with the greatest care and faced her properly “With what happened with Erena, I thought it would be good for you to see someone else.” He scratched the back of his neck, averting his gaze “If that makes sense…?”

She smiled tenderly “It does. Thank you, Kay. It means a lot.” She pointed at the window “Would you like to see the view? I noticed that you seem to like the panorama.”

“Oh, uh, it’s fine.” He mumbled.

She raised an eyebrow, unconvinced “Kay, look at yourself. You’re probably trying to sit on one cheek to not let the other touch the couch. Come on, this place won’t eat you.”

“It looks like it will.” He mumbled as she grabbed his arm to pull him towards the bay window.

The way his eyes widened showed how wowed he was, his sunset irises shining as he took in the view of the city spreading down under his feet. Ships were following the Flow roads that were weaving between the buildings and skyscrapers like rivers of light. Yu knew the sight by heart, so she chose to observe him instead.

“Everything looks so small from here.” He said.

“I know, right?” she put a hand between his shoulder blades “Do you enjoy the view?”

He looked at her and smiled tenderly “I do. You’re lucky to wake up every morning with this sight.”

She chuckled “I guess that it’s better than the view on the parking lot.”

He pouted – adorably, on top of that - “Hey, the view from my window is nice. At least I get sunlight during most of the day.”

“Just kidding, just kidd-“ Yu interrupted herself to pinch the bridge of her nose with a grunt.

“Are you okay? You should rest.”

“But I’ve spent my entire day resting, I’m bored~” she complained “It’s just my headache.”

“I’ll keep you company, but as long as you lie down in bed, okay?”

“…Fine.”

She led him to her bedroom. It was too late to think about cleaning up – the home robot was forbidden to put away her belongings, making the place the only room in the penthouse that was not pristine and devoid of any object – but she was certain he would not mind. Plus, she had to show him her less pretty sides from time to time, hadn’t she? Proof was, Kay did not comment on the state of the room when he walked in. He made her lie down in her bed and pulled the covers on her.

“What now, Mister Doctor?” She said playfully.

He rolled his eyes, smiling. His cheeks were red “I’m not a doctor.”

“You are, technically.”

“In biology, Yu. Not the same thing.”

She chuckled “I know. I was just teasing you.”

He sat on the edge of the bed, next to her “Does your head still hurt?”

“Yeah, but I’ve taken medication not long ago.”

She felt his warm hands frame her face gently. Before she had the time to ask what he was doing, he started rubbing small circles between her eyebrows, following the arch towards her temples. Yu instantly relaxed, the soft pressure feeling good and easing the throbbing pain. Kay asked if she felt better, so she nodded weakly to keep him going. After a while, he switched sides and started massaging under her eyes, where her sinuses were.

“This feels so nice…” She sighed.

“You’re welcome.” He replied.

“You do miracles with your hands…” she opened her eyes, blushing “Oh my, uh… Sorry, that… That came out really wrong.”

He was burning red but winked at her nonetheless “That’s not the first time I hear this.”

She snorted “Show off.”

His laughter was more efficient than any medicine she could take, she thought.

\--

Kay paid her a visit every day until she recovered. He showed up after work, stayed a few hours, and went back home when the night had fallen. He cooked her dinner, which she was thankful for; the home robot’s cooking was decent, but nothing equalled homemade meals. He kept her distracted from her mind and the emptiness of the penthouse. He never crossed paths with her mother, for she would come home late in the evening. It was not like he made any particular effort to avoid her, anyway.

_It’s about Kay, isn’t it?_

That sentence played on loop in her head. Kay or not, Lord Ozias was the worst and she really, _really_ hated the idea of having him as her Mate. Having to deal with him on a daily basis would drive her crazy in no time. Being a trophy wife had its perks though: technically, she would be free to do whatever she wanted…

She tried to imagine herself still seeing Kay once the Matchmaking would be done. He was her friend above all, so Ozias had nothing to say about it. But the more time passed, the deeper her crush on him got, and now she was past the point of just wanting to be friends.

Cheating was not a crime in the Apiary, but it was the quickest way to ruin someone’s reputation. If she got caught with Kay while being Matched to one of the most influent members of the Council, that would mean the end of Kay’s carrier. Of her own too, assuming that being with Ozias would not already have taken that away from her. And what if Kay ended up happy with his Mate?

The idea of imagining him with someone else hurt her as much as picturing herself linking arms with her Mate.

Kay was no mere crush anymore. Not when he sat on her bed to read her a book, her head on his lap and his free hand combing through her hair lazily. Not when they could talk about anything without running out of subjects. Not when he was there to listen to her worries, and she was there to advise him. Not when he looked at her like she was the most precious creature he had ever set eyes upon, like she was the most beautiful and breathtaking person of the entire Apiary. Not when she looked at his lips and dreamed of them pressed against her own.

Not when, one morning, she woke up with one single crystal-clear thought.

She loved him.

And she wanted him by her side. Him and no one else. And she would fight tooth and nail to have it that way.

\--

“I’ll stop by after dinner.”

She hoped that text was not too intrusive. Well, it _was_ , since she literally invited herself at his place without asking. Two weeks after having recovered, Yu had grown tired of waiting. Of holding everything in. She was going to explode. So she had decided to take her courage in both hands and confess her feelings. She was terrified of rejection, so much that her legs trembled under the shower. So much that she could not shake the sweat off her hands as she put her purple dress on with her nicest shoes. So much that, one way or another, the idea that maybe it had been one-sided this whole time was still there, although she objectively knew it was impossible.

No, Kay liked her as well. But would he think that she was worth his while?

Yu was at his door as promised. Technically, she had not eaten dinner. Her stomach was in knots and the idea of eating something made her feel nauseous. But still, she showed up at a time that would be considered after dinner, once the night had fallen. She took a long, deep breath, and rung the doorbell.

Kay opened almost instantly. She could easily picture him springing from where he was to rush to the door. He seemed worried.

“Yu! Are you alright?”

She blinked, confused “Y-yes? Yes I am.”

He sighed dramatically in relief “Goodness, don’t scare me like that. I thought you had another fight or something.”

She walked in, holding her arms together “I’m sorry. That was not my intention. It’s just… There’s something I wish to tell you and it couldn’t wait.”

Kay’s expression suddenly turned serious, focused. _Intense_. He closed the door and walked closer to her. For the first time and although she knew he was taller than her, she felt small. Tiny. Vulnerable.

It was terrifying and exhilarating.

“What is it?” He asked, almost solemnly.

Yu opened her mouth but no sound came out. She had practiced and rehearsed for hours, figuring out what to say and how, but now he was in front of her and staring at her so intensely with his indecently captivating eyes and she was at loss of words and it felt like she was going to drown.

“Oh, gloot!” she muttered under her breath.

She grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him down to her. Her lips found his, soft and warm as she had expected. It was but a mere peck, but it felt like she had said a thousand words through it.

She let him go. He was in a state of astonishment that she would have found hilarious in any other situation. He blinked several times, then gasped.

“I, uh… I’m… You…” he stuttered, his face bright red.

“I like you.” Yu said. Saying these three words felt like the biggest risk she had ever taken.

His expression softened, although the blush did not fade from his cheeks “…Me too.”

Gently, Kay grabbed her by the waist. His other hand followed the line of her shoulder and throat until it rested on the nape of her neck. He leaned in, until their noses touched.

“No forgotten pan on the stove?” She whispered, smirking.

“Not this time, I promise.” He murmured back.

Their lips met. Softly. Gently. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, sighing against him. He held her as close as he could, his mouth moving on hers with all the tenderness of the worlds. He eventually let her go, just enough to look at her, and kissed her forehead.

“I’ve been dreaming of this moment for a long time.” He admitted, before giggling “Although I imagined it to be more… romantic, you know? Like, after a date or something.”

“But you know I’m no ordinary girl.” Yu teased, sticking her tongue at him playfully.

He leaned in for another kiss, breathing against her lips with a smile “That’s exactly why you caught my eye.”

All of Yu’s fears vanished into thin air. He was there, he was with her, and he liked her too.

It was all she needed to feel.

**Author's Note:**

> The perks of writing about them is that I can self-insert to my heart's content. Yes my hair is very long and my bf weighed it and tried to wrap it like a scarf around my neck. My next pieces will most likely irl shenanigans just for the fun of it.  
> Also head massages when you've got a headache? Saves lives.
> 
> Please tell me if/what you enjoyed it!


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